The Best Podcasts for Creatives

As a Freelancer working from home the majority of the week, things can sometimes be a bit lonely. I’m an extrovert needing human contact and I’m lucky enough to have a co-working space to visit, but every now and again I treat myself to a morning or afternoon working from a coffee shop. Sometimes I’ll meet with a friend (usually lovely Ella – she took these photos of me btw) but other than chatting to the barista, I might not speak to anyone. It sounds kinda odd, I know, but somehow just being around people can really help with my mood and therefore productivity.

But it’s not always practical to head to a coffee shop, I know, especially if you don’t live in a big city or you’re trying to save pennies. With this in mind I wanted to share the next best thing and your new best friend; podcasts.

Not only are they good background noise (I can’t work in dead silence), but they’re empathetic, informative and entertaining too. It’s like being in an office of people without having to make the tea round and keeping all of the biscuits for yourself! Are you sold yet?

Podcasts are often recorded by people that just want to share stories, so they’re not necessarily the best quality of sound, but I find my wireless Sudio Regent headphones help to fully immerse me in the conversation and eliminate any interruptions. It’s quite amazing what blocking out the city’s soundtrack (whether that be sirens or clinking coffee cups) can do for your focus – try it for yourself.

You’ll be pleased to hear that they sound AND look good – very slick (it’s a Swedish brand after all), lightweight and comfortable, with the option to change the caps to suit your mood/style. Can you really go wrong with black marble though? And for all of you techies out there – they easily connect to your phone via bluetooth and can last up to 24hours playtime on one charge.

Sharing is caring, so here are a few of the best podcasts for creatives that keep me sane during my solitary hours:

Internet People

If they’re not writing blog posts, Tweeting about their day or getting THE shot for Instagram; they’re now recording podcasts. After all, what better way to make your voice heard then by literally making your voice heard!? People of the internet are quite used to sharing – experiences, opinions and recommendations, and they’re pretty good at it.

Alt Ctrl Delete by Emma Gannon
Emma is basically the older sister that I never had – she is cooler than cool and she doesn’t even know it. Every episode she interviews someone amazingly interesting and asks all the questions that I’d like answered. It’s kind of a bit creepy – like she can see inside my brain… oo-er.

How to Curate Your Life by Lizzie Evans from Smug, London
She’s best known for curating one of London’s finest lifestyle stores, but Lizzie didn’t stop there! With guests chatting about business and creativity, Lizzie’s podcast always leaves me feeling super inspired.

Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker from Me & Orla
Chatting algorithms, how to build a following and, of course, hashtags, Sara is the go-to girl for Instagram wisdom. I’ve learnt so much from listening to her discussions and it helps that she has a really soothing voice too.

Blogtacular by Kat Molesworth
If you’re not familiar with Blogtacular, a blogging conference taking place in London since 2013, then you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. The voice behind the madness is Kat and if you need inspiration but don’t know where to find it, this is a good place to start.

Entrepreneurial

Ok, so you know how we were talking about feeling lonely? These podcasts will help with that – full of tips for solo-workers, stories of success and advice.

One Girl Band by Lola Hoad
The internet is awash with motivational and inspirational quotes and tips but I’ll be honest, there’s only so many times that you can read ‘You’ve got this! You go girl!’ – they’re empty words to me now. Luckily for us, Lola’s podcast exists with discussions and advice minus the cheese – finally, a ‘girlboss’ podcast that doesn’t make me cringe. And I find her voice is super soothing too.

The Creative Leap by Cat Byrne from Gatto
As a web designer, Cat works with some of the internet’s most creative minds, so it only makes sense for her to share an insight. I love a good interview -what can I say? I love being nosy. Interviewing seems to come naturally to Cat – it feels like you’re listening in on a chat between two friends. Grab a coffee and join the chat!

Creating Your Own Path by Jennifer Snyder
This is the newest addition to my podcast list, and although I’ve not listened to it that much yet, I’m hearing good things so far…

Design focused

All you designers out there, listen up! Suffering with creative block? Wanna learn more about how to progress in your career? Looking for inspiration and/or like-minded people? These are a good starting place:

Design Life by Charli Marie & Femke
Fun fact: Design Life was the first podcast that I actually commited to subscribed to. Before that I wasn’t a podcast person, but Charli & Femke changed that! I love how down to earth and conversational their chats are and usually spend the whole episode nodding my head in agreement – they’re totally on my wave length and it feels good to know there are others out there thinking the same things.

Designed in London by Natasha (me), Soofiya & Sherida
I’d be stupid NOT to mention my own podcast, right? Back in 2016 I recorded a couple of episodes with two awesome Graphic Designers. We kept it real and discussed our experiences of being a design student and what happens after you graduate from University. We still have a couple of unreleased episodes so hopefully we’ll share them with the world at some point!

Lecture in Progress by Lecture in Progress
Wanted to chat to your favourite designer? Well maybe that’s never going to happen (unless you bump into them in a coffee shop…?) but there’s no need to be sad because the guys at Lecture in Progress are doing all of the hard work for you via the internet. From Photographers to Art Directors and Illustrators, listen to the stories and insights from the coolest people in the industry! I really love listening to this one – always seems to give me a little kick of motivation when I need it!

Design Matters by Debbie Millman
I’ll be honest, I haven’t listened to this one yet… but it’s always the one that literally EVERYONE recommends that I should listen to. So I figured it deserved a mention at least – there’s currently 293 episodes so sounds like we’ve got a fair bit of catching up to do!

That should keep you busy for a while, but I’m always keen to hear new and exciting things so please feel free to pass on any of your favourites in the comments/ via tweet.

Also if you fancy treating yourself to some Sudio headphones you can use ‘natashanuttall15′ at the checkout to get 15% off – Happy New Year to you from me!

Disclaimer: I was gifted the headphones from Sudio for review but all opinions are 100% my own and as you know, I’d never recommend something that I don’t love myself.